Getting started

There are dozens of choices of strollers on the market, everything from the lightest-weight umbrella strollers to heavy-duty, midsized strollers, to carriages, jogging strollers, and models designed to carry two or more children. For a newborn, you can find a basic frame that can support almost any infant car seat. Or, consider a fully reclining stroller with leg holes that close, so your baby doesn't slip and get trapped.

Another option is a travel system, which consists of an infant car seat, a car-seat base for your car, and a stroller. Some jogging strollers are sold as travel systems, and other strollers function as travel systems by allowing you to attach an infant car seat. When babies reach 6 months old or can sit up and control their head and neck movements, you can use the stroller alone, without the infant seat snapped in. The down side? Until then, you have to push your baby in a stroller plus a car seat, which can be unwieldy to push.

A final option is a combo stroller, which functions as a carriage and a stroller. This stroller is a hybrid that consists of a stroller chassis with wheels that can be used with various manufacturers' car seats. It includes a removable bassinet, which converts it into a carriage, so your newborn baby can fully recline, and a removable stroller seat to use when your baby is ready to sit up.

Today, manufacturers are offering strollers with a more modern look, and with more choices in fabric colors and textures (such as breathable fabric, warmer materials, etc.). Strollers also have more convenience features such as sun shades, telescoping handlebars, swiveling or locking wheels, adjustable seating (forward- or rear-facing), one-hand folding, and the ability to fold flat.

Also, more strollers that are lightweight and portable and travel easily are coming on the market, as are more car-seat compatible strollers. All-terrain and jogging strollers are increasingly popular, too, enabling parents to fit in a workout while they’re out with their child.

Stroller options can be dizzying. Use our stroller guide to find out which are the right wheels for you and your baby.

Select it yourself

Strollers are popular baby gifts and shower presents. Still, you should shop for a stroller yourself, and then register for it at a department or baby store if you want to receive it as a gift. Strollers, like cars, are highly personal items. You'll probably use your stroller often, and your baby will spend a lot of time in it. You should love the one you end up with.

Let your lifestyle be your guide

City dwellers who rely on subways, buses, and cabs will need a lightweight but sturdy stroller that folds quickly and is compact. A stroller with large, air-filled tires is recommended if you'll be going for long walks and your vehicle is big enough to accommodate it. Besides being more shock-absorbing, those strollers typically have cushier seats that give more support. If you'll be strolling through snow, or on unpaved roads or grass, a model with large wheels is the way to go. Under those conditions, a stroller with small wheels might be difficult or impossible to push. If you're athletic, you might want an all-terrain or jogging stroller for walking or jogging workouts.

Don't go by price alone

As you'll find out when you're shopping, there's a wide price range among types and brands. What makes one stroller cost $50 and another $750? Several things drive up the price.

Higher-end strollers are usually made of high-grade, lighter-weight aluminum, and are easier to lift in and out of a car or navigate on and off of buses and trains. The seat is cushier, with more back support, and is likely to be made of high-quality fabric. And because they often feature large, shock-absorbing swivel wheels, higher-end strollers are usually easier to push and a smoother ride for babies.

Bigger-ticket strollers also have such amenities as adjustable handles, which can save your back if you're tall, and a reversible seat so your baby can face toward or away from you. They tend to be durable enough to be passed along from child to child.

But that doesn't mean a lower-end stroller won't serve you well. A lot depends on where and how much you'll use the stroller. For infrequent travel or trips to the mall, a lower-end umbrella stroller (less than $100) might be all you need. But if you're going to be strolling more often and through all kinds of weather and conditions, consider spending more. Good-quality traditional strollers start at about $250.

That said, a higher price doesn't always mean higher quality. Consumer Reports' tests have shown that some economical strollers can perform as well as or better than models costing hundreds of dollars more. Even the most sophisticated models can have typical stroller flaws: malfunctioning wheels, frames that bend out of shape, locking mechanisms that fail, safety belts that come loose, or buckles that break.

Give it a test drive

Take the models you're considering for a spin in the store, even if you plan to buy online. Compare maneuverability and practice opening and closing it—with one hand as well as two. See how easy it is to adjust the backrest, lift and carry the stroller, and apply the rear brakes. Make sure you can stand tall when you push the stroller and that your legs and feet don't hit the wheels as you walk.

If you and your spouse will use the stroller, you should both try it out. Some models have adjustable handles, an important feature if one parent is taller than the other. If possible, take the floor model you're considering out to your car to be sure it will fit in your trunk when it's folded. Also, jiggle the stroller. The frame should feel solid, not loose.

Consider your baby's age

Newborns can't sit up, so they need a stroller that lets them lie on their backs for the first few months, or one that can hold an infant car seat. Don't use a traditional stroller that doesn't fully recline—including an umbrella-style stroller—until your child can sit up, usually at about 6 months old.

If you buy a stroller that fully reclines for an infant, make sure that it has a wall surrounding all sides above the retention space. In addition, you can use the cover or stroller boot the manufacturer sometimes supplies for the foot area/leg holes so your baby can't possibly slip through, or use the bassinet that might come with the stroller.

Some models that recline the seat and the seatback together (keeping the child in a “seated” position) are available for babies from birth to 6 months old. It is essential that the 5-point harness always be used, especially in this case.

Check certification

Somewhere on a stroller's frame or carton, there should be a certification sticker showing that the stroller meets the minimum requirements of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) voluntary standard and that its manufacturer takes part in the certification program administered by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). The key tests are for restraint system, brakes, leg openings, and locking mechanisms that prevent accidental folding, and for stability and the absence of sharp edges. The program is voluntary, and models from uncertified companies might be as safe as those from certified ones. But all things being equal, choose a certified model. Companies that are certified are: Baby Trend, Britax, Bugaboo, Delta Enterprise, Dorel Juvenile Group, Evenflo, Go-Go Babyz, Graco, Hauck Fun for Kids, J. Mason, Joovy, Kolcraft, Maclaren, Mia Moda, and Peg-Pérego.

Evaluate warranties and return policies

Most stroller manufacturers and retailers have warranties that cover poor workmanship and inherent flaws, but they won't necessarily take the unit back if it malfunctions. Manufacturers might refer you to the store for a replacement or insist that you ship the stroller back for repair—at your expense—leaving you stranded without baby wheels. Your best bet is to purchase the stroller from a store, catalog, or Web site that offers a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.

Keep the packaging the stroller comes in until you're sure you want to keep the stroller and ask about a store's return policy (usually 30 days). It's not uncommon to buy a stroller many months in advance. If you're shopping that far ahead, you'll want to buy from a store with a flexible or long-term return policy.

See also:

Car seats

Bouncer seats

Backpack carriers

Baby monitors